If there’s trouble bubbling under the surface at the local public schools over extra-curricular activities, it has yet to make its way to the surface. All over Ontario both high school teachers and elementary teachers have been vowing to take a pass on participating in extra-curriculars. Yesterday, however, teachers at Riverdale High School said they will “return to normal” around such unpaid work because their union isn’t asking them to take such a “pause.”   This decision may be temporary as the Secondary Teacher’s Federation prepares for a strike vote later this Fall which may take the teachers out altogether. At the elementary level, with young kids, it’s even more complicated. The Elementary Teachers want  members to refrain from extra work. It’s causing a lot of heartache across Ontario as parents try to fill the void. They are running up against teacher ill-will and legal rigmarole around insurance needed to supervise kids while on school property. A group of parents in the Beach has gone off school property to conduct running activities along the boardwalk, Locally, there’s little evidence of difficulty. At Maurice Cody Junior Public School,  new principal Andrew Howard issued a welcome back letter which makes no mention of any disruptions whatsoever.

Air Canada says it will hire more than 900 new employees over the next 12 months, partly in preparation for the launch of its low cost carrier that is expected to begin operations in 2013. In addition to 160 new customer service call-center agents hired this year, Air Canada said it is also hiring an additional 60 agents in the coming months for its call centers in Montreal and Toronto. The country’s largest carrier also said it is hiring roughly 400 flight attendants for its main airline, along with another with another 150 flight attendants and 50 pilots for its new low cost airline.

Stunned is hardly the word for it. The provincial agency known as Metrolinx has decided that the Eglinton Crosstown LRT will be built, maintained and operated by a private agency and not the TTC. For the first time in 90 years the city will not have control of a transit line inside its borders. We have known for many months that there has been a nasty little behind-the-scenes struggle about just who will make the decisions for the LRT construction. But whoever thought that Queen’s Park would  tell Canada’s largest City to just buzz off. Liberals to TO: Drop Dead.  This is the town that was given the right to function practically as a separate province under the City of Toronto Act, passed by the Liberals. Too much infighting at City Hall?  Past TTC administrations have slipped the leash in a way that brought disaster. Is this the result of the TTC’s out-of-control and quite mad boondoggle on St. Clair Avenue a couple of years ago?  Next: A naming contest for the LRT, We can see MUD emblazoned on  the new LRT cars. (McGuinty Underground. Department).  Or, GLT  (Get Lost Toronto). Send your suggestions.   

The new Beer Store (Brewers Retail) will open next Monday in Leaside Village at Laird Drive and Esandar Road The store is a plus for Leaside village but a minus for East York Town Centre on Overlea Blvd. which will see the present Beer Store there close. The Town Centre is struggling for tenants and its owners, Morguard Investments, must be placing a lot of hope in the Target store which is now under renovation in the old Zeller’s location.  Meanwhile, correspondent Rudy L. has posted some pictures of beer being unloaded over at Leaside Village. 

The death of gas station attendant Jayesh Prajapati Saturday night is a very unfortunate event. The well-intentioned man was run down while trying to stop a gasoline thief from leaving without paying. But the furious outburst from MPP Mike Colle (Eglinton-Lawrence) to create new legislation should be handled cautiously by the government. Happily, Labour Minister Linda Jeffrey seems inclined to do just that. This sad case involves three issues. First, the government has got to get to the bottom of whether petroleum companies are routinely deducting the losses from theft from the pay of their employees. A new law making the public pay for gasoline in advance won’t help these workers if their employers are so mean and dishonest that they steal from their employees This is already illegal and the ministry must make it clear to oil firms they must comply. Second, employees must be trained to understand that a life is more important than a tank of gas. The banks have succeeded in this regard. No amount of money is worth the life of a teller. Finally,  making people pay for gasoline in advance is not popular with the oil companies nor much of the public. People like the flexibility of paying after making their choice. These days that might include groceries. Mr. Colle should cool off and slow down. 

You have to wonder how much ill-will Apple has bought with its decision to create an entirely new connector for the iPhone 5. Many commentators say the new connector leads to a mushrooming bill if you want to buy accessories for the IPhone.  Of course, if you run the world, who cares about ill-will.  ZD Net

The response to the adopt-a-tree program known as Bayview Buckets has had a very solid response from merchants. The program applies to the west side of Bayview between Hillsdale Ave. and Davisville Ave. Businesses commit to make sure the street trees get at least three buckets of water a week. Here are the public spirited  people giving a hand:  Alex Farm • The Big Stretch Yoga Centre • BMO Financial Group • Bonnie Byford Real Estate Ltd. Brokerage • Epi Breads • Hollywood Gelato • Horticultural Design Inc. • Karmasutra Restaurant & Wine Bar • L’Avenue Bistro • Leaside Animal Clinic • McSorleys’s Wonderful Saloon & Grill • Originals Bar • Patisserie La Cigogne • RBC Royal Bank • Stainton, Murray and Lam Barristers, Solicitors & Notaries • Dr. Stephen Simpson DDS • Teaopia • Tribute Communities • valu-mart • Verdi Restaurant • Vizio Eyewear and Sunglasses • California Roll • Lemon Grass • Bagel House • Baskin Robbins